How to get to Siam Bay resort on Koh Chang Island
Siam Bay Resort on Koh Chang GPS location: +12.016015, +102.28919
TIP for travelers from overseas: Don't rush..
Even though we think of the Siam Bay Resort as one of the most relaxing places on this planet, we would like to urge you not make the long journey from your hometown all the way to the resort without stops. We often see guests arrive completely exhausted and about ready to explode due to the lack of sleep and the frustrations that come with traveling to far away destinations. This may often completely ruin their first day in our wonderful beach resort as well as their first impressions of the Siam Bay Resort and her beautiful surroundings. Others that have been vacationing longer in other areas in Thailand or Cambodia or on other islands nereby tend to arrive with a happy smile and are usually out on the beach or in one of the swimming pools, while those tired couples may still be arguing in their bungalow or villa...
The most comfortable: the Siam Beach Minibus service
Our sister resort, The Siam Beach Resort, offers a private minibus service which allows us to offer our guests a 100% safe journey between many pick up points like Suvarnabhumi airport or any downtown Bangkok hotel and the Siam Bay or any of it's sister resorts on or near Koh Chang island. The chauffeur driven minibus is recommend for groups up to 6 persons. More information and the fares for the Siam Bay Resort chauffeur driven minibus services can be found on our Koh Chang Minibus page.
Update late 2010: All of the Siam Beach Resort drivers and some of her minibuses are now being used by the Lonely Beach Express Service to & from Bangkok Airport to carry people every more quick & cheap all the way to the Siam Beach Resort. Due to this fact we invite everyone to visit the closely related Koh Chang Transfer website if you need a tranfer from Bangkok Airport, Trat Airport, Aranyaprathet, Pattaya, Ban Phe or in opposite direction.
By Air Plane
Trat Airport is conveniently located on the mainland just outside of Laem Ngop town, where the ferries to Koh Chang Island depart from. There is an Bangkok airways minibus that will take you to the Siam Bay Resort's doorstep for a reasonable fee of 470 baht per person. This even includes tickets for the ferry and you will be taken all the way to the reception at the Siam Bay Resort. The flight takes app. 50 minutes, the transfer from there 60 - 75 minutes. More information is available on http://www.bangkokair.com
A round trip airplane ticket from Bangkok to Trat airport will cost at least 4400 baht plus Trat airport's service charge.
The telephone numbers for Trat airport are: 039-525767/8 and you can contact Bangkok Airways in Trat on 039-525777 (airport office) and 039-525299 (downtown office) or in Bangkok at: 1771 (reservation center), 02-535-7709/12 (domestic airport) or 02-265-5555 (head office)
By Bus from Bangkok
There are several ways to get to Trat by bus. The air conditioned (blue and white) government licensed busses tend to be more comfortable than the minivans and coaches that run from Khao Sarn's famous backpacker area.
These busses depart from both the Eastern Bus terminal Ekkemai and the Northern Bus terminal Mor Chit. The trip takes 6-7 hours and the bus fare will be between 180 and 230 baht. The Cherdchai buses that go from Ekkemai station start their shift at 06:00 at intervals of 1.5 hours and from Mor Chit station at 08:30 and another at 17:30, while their colleagues from Suparat bus company start at 08:30 with intervals of 2 - 2.5 hours on Ekkemai station and from Mo Chit at 06:00 and continue their departures from there with 3 hour intervals.
Perhaps less confusing and just as accurate is the statement: Just show up at the bus terminal of your choice, buy a ticket and get on the bus! Last departures are all around 23:00, but remember that the ferries to Koh Chang only sail from a little before 07:00 until a little after 19:00.
Bus #99 from Ekkemai Station
Recently a new bus line was introduced, which can take visitors to the Siam Bay resort non-stop from Ekemai station, which is conveniently located at a sky train station with the same name, right to the ferry piers at Leam Ngop. If you do not intended to spend extra time in Trad city, we highly recommend that you book a seat on this bus, as you will save the cost of a taxi from Trat to the Leam Ngop ferries, plus it will cut 30 - 60 minutes off your traveling time. This express bus "99" starts from Ekemai station in Bangkok at 07:30 and 09:30. It departs from Laem Ngop's centrepoint and Ao Thammachat piers to Bangkok at 14:00 and 16:00 daily. Tickets for this express bus 99 are 250 baht. As of early 2007 these same buses now make extra stops at the new Suvarnabumi airport, both when going to Laem Ngop, as well as when they come back. Coming back the bus stops at both the Centrepoint as well as the Tammachat piers.
Direct bus from Suvarnabhumi airport
As of late 2009, the Suvarnabhumi Burapha Bus Comany started carrying passengers from Bangkok Airport direct to Koh Chang. Previously, visitors would have to take a bus from the airport bus terminal to one of the piers in Laem Ngop and carry their luggage and other belongings over a hot concrete pier and up and down steep small stairs on the ferries and get in line for a seat on one of the Song Teaws. The Suvarnabhumi - Koh Chang bus number 392 ensures that you can now get to the island more comfortably and well air-conditioned.
One way tickets are 308 baht / pers, which includes the transfer on the ferry and all taxes. Initially the bus from Suvaranbhumi international Airport in Bangkok departs at 07:30 and returns at 13:30 from the Klong Son Area on Koh Chang to Suvarnabhumi airport, but more departures will be added over the following three months. Travel time is about 6 1/2 hours total.
More information is available on the Suvarnabhumi - Koh Chang bus website.
Shared minibuses from Koa Sarn road area
If you are on a tight budget, in a rush, don't like to go all the way to one of the bus stations first, or actually enjoy feeling like a canned sardine, then the minivans or tour busses that depart from the Kao Sarn area are probably your thing. Trips to Koh Chang island can be booked through any of the travel agents on Kao Sarn road, or anywhere else in the city and most of them will take you directly to the pier at Laem Ngop, while some may even take you all the way to the Siam Bay resort on Koh Chang island. Most of these buses leave early in the morning (07:00 - 08:00) and take 5 - 6 hours to complete the journey. The cost of a journey can be anywhere between 180 and 280 baht depending on whether the ferry crossing is included. In Laem Ngop village you will find the minivans eager to take you back to Bangkok from 11:00 onwards.
By car
Ferry to Koh ChangUnlike with some of the other popular east coast islands in Thailand, it is possible to drive your car all the way to the Siam Bay resort on Koh Chang. There are 3 ferries that provide easy access to Koh Chang island. The distance from Bangkok to the ferries is only 310 kilometers, but when planning your journey, do not forget to include a 30 - 45 minutes ferry crossing plus as much as an hour waiting time, if you happen to travel during a Thai holiday. Driving a car in Thailand can be somewhat challenging at times, but the roads leading to Laem Ngop / Trat are among the best and safest roads in the country. When traveling from Bangkok there are only 2 routes that are worth mentioning. First there is the Bang Na - Trat road, which starts out as an elevated toll way that runs right on top of highway number 3.
Stay on this road until the Chon buri bypass and turn off onto highway 344 in the direction of Klaeng. After you passed through Ban Bung you will reach the Klaeng cross roads, after which you turn left back onto highway number toward Chantaburi and Trat.
As the Bang Na - Trat road can be sometimes difficult to reach, especially if your journey does not begin from Sukhumvith road or anywhere near the Bang Na area, it's usually faster to get on to the express way in the direction of Rama 9 (IX) road. After paying the second toll, just after the rama 9 exit, you will find yourself on the number 7 motorway, which is an extension of Rama 9 (Srinakarin) road. This road will also lead you to highway number 344 where you turn left toward Klaeng and follow as listed above.
While Trat hosts some of the cheapest seafood restaurants in the country, it is possible that you are eager to get to our Siam Bay resort and that you would like to avoid the city of Trat altogether. If so, turn left to Laem Ngop at the T-junction with highway 3156 roughly 20km before Trat city border, and continue on this road to the ferry piers.
Buy (return) tickets from the booth and park in line. Snacks and beverages can be bought on the ferry, unless you are on the first run and the key holder is still at home recovering from last night's beach party.
By boat
To our knowledge there is only one marina that is operational on Koh Chang, which is surprisingly named: Koh Chang Marina. It is located in the southern Salak Petch Bay surrounded by mountains, well protected from winds and waves. They provide launching, retrieving wet and dry berth, supplies and maintenance services at very reasonable prices. The Koh Chang Marina can be contacted via: +66 (0)1-782-6040 / +66(0)1-762-8082 or by fax on +66(0)39-553-055
From the ferry piers to the Siam Bay resort
While we are pursuing the option of having our own transportation to and from the Siam Bay, Siam Bay and Siam Huts resorts, we are currently obliged to let our visitors make use of the public white 'shared taxies' which are locally known as Song Teaw. When the ferry arrives to the island you will normally find several of these shared taxi's waiting for you at the unloading point. Although the fees are not always fixed, the trip to our location should not be more than 100 baht per person. However, when visitors arrive late in the afternoon or early evening it is not uncommon that the taxi driver will ask for a higher fare if there are not enough people to share to costs.
Welcome to Koh ChangAt such time you can negotiate with the driver or wait for a next ferry with more people to arrive. Keep in mind that there are no other forms of public transportation on the island while negotiating. If you find yourself somehow stuck or unable to make it to the Siam Bay resort, don't hesitate to give us a call, so that we may assist in finding alternative transportation for you or send one of our staff members to come and collect you.
From Koh Kood or Koh Mak to Koh Chang:
During the high season there is a twice daily direct speedboat from Koh Kood & Koh Mak to the Koh Chang Speedboat pier, which is visible from our resort, on Kai Bae beach. Obviously the follow journey to the Siam Bay Resort is both quick and refreshing, as most of it is done through the light jungle in a half open pick up truck. Departure from Koh Kood is at 09:00 and 11:00 with a stop at the Makathanee pier on Koh Mak, approximately at 10:00 and 12:00, to arrive on Koh Chang at 11:00 en 13:00.
Things to Do on Koh Chang
Swimming with Dolphins, Treetop Park Koh Chang, Elephant trekking / Jungle Safari by Elephant on Koh Chang, Snorkeling trips around Koh Chang, Thai Cooking classes on Koh chang, Klong Plu Waterfall on Koh Chang, Jungle Trekking / Mountain Hiking on Koh Chang, Fishing trips on Koh Chang, Driving Ranges on Koh Chang, And Other Activities.
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